Dieting sucks.

extravagrant

But it seems to be the only thing that works for my vanity.

About 5 years ago, I weighed 240 lbs (I'm 5'6"), started eating healthier, ganked the WW points formula and used that for a while, and dropped down to below 200 for a few years. Moved to Chicago for grad school, and dropped down to 175 at my lowest, then I got a job, and now my weight has crept back up to 195. At 185 I told myself I needed to start eating better so that I wouldn't gain weight.. at 190, I said that I *really* needed to, and I should probably start doing some exercise. at 195, I finally joined a gym by my apartment that has been brutal (in a good way).

At first, I figured the brutal circuit training workouts would be enough, and they've definitely made me (much, much) more fit, but I haven't lost as much size as I'd like (gained some muscle, lost some fat, but not enough).

I started there in November, I just took a fitness assessment last week or so that said I'm kicking butt at the exercises, and my body fat percentage is juuuust under the "overweight" cutoff at 24.4%

If all I cared about was being healthy, I wouldn't be dieting. I'm pretty healthy, and I'm still making fitness gains, however, I am vain, so I want to lose the gut (that everyone tells me I don't have) and look ridiculously good at least once in my life.

So, I'm back to dieting. And after trying to just eat healthy food and estimate and listen to my body (and going nowhere), I'm going back to the only thing I know: counting calories and logging everything I eat. It is annoying, time consuming, and I hate it, but it works.

So, here I am.

erickirb

Don't diet then, make life style changes that you can stay with forever. People look at diets as temporary and that is the problem. Finding a way to stick to a healthy lifestyle is much better for you and you will not fall of the wagon as there is no wagon to fall off of.

TammyLanham

erikkirb.... excellent advice

hummingbirdxss

Don't diet then, make life style changes that you can stay with forever. People look at diets as temporary and that is the problem. Finding a way to stick to a healthy lifestyle is much better for you and you will not fall of the wagon as there is no wagon to fall off of.

That's exactly right. Diet to me says "YOU CANT HAVE WHAT YOU REALLY REALLY WANT". This program is more of a life style choice. If I want to eat "that".....I budget the calories for it. I just think of it like this ...... Every moring I give myself a set number of calorie dollars. During the day, it's up to me to decide if what I want is worth spending my calories on. If it is, I do, and if not, I don't. But each day is a new shopping day for me !!

Good Luck !!!

jeffrodgers1

Erik....Love it! So True!

I also tell people looking to lose weight that it took their whole life to get to where they are ... expect it to take a little while to get to where they want to be! Don't get discouraged, enjoy the ride.

jantim1990

Don't get discouraged!! You did it once, so you know what to do. Just keep at it!! I've lost and gained back and forth over the years, and this time, I'm going to make it work. I' don't "diet"....I eat what i want, but if it is a fatty food, I just eat a small portion. Then I know I'm going to have to exercise....so that in itself tends to make me turn the "bad" food down alot.
You can do it!! Have faith in yourself!!

Cazz7xz

dieting does suck its really hard to stick to and i definitely hate that i have to consume soo many calories in order to lose weight because im doing the Insanity Workout. ugh! good luck!